traditional bend bars? 3ttt vs. zipp vs. ???

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
User avatar
lasrever
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:47 pm

by lasrever

ok, so i like traditional bend bars - i have been riding newton bar/stem in the shallow for what feels like a couple decades (i don't think they've been out that long so it can't be, right?) but they are getting scarce and i am feeling the draw of something lighter.
i recently did a build with fizik cyrano snake bars and as my first foray into carbon bars and i really like that aspect of it but don't love the bend - the drops are great but the transition from top to levers is a bit flat (i like the curve of the newtons there quite a bit).

i'm about to embark on a new build and kind of want to go carbon, light, etc. but i'm big (200 lbs former sprinter) so it all has to be within reason.

from what i can tell from photos 3ttt rotundo ltd and zipp's slc2 bars have, ahem, all the right curves but i thought i'd ask if there are other options out there and what peoples' opinions of said bars are.
again: looking for a round top, traditional bend, shallow to mid drop (think more model 64 than 66) and would greatly appreciate any thoughts and advice from the group.

thanks!
thanks,
nick

User avatar
prebsy
Posts: 1044
Joined: Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:52 pm
Location: there or thereabouts

by prebsy

I too prefer the classic/traditional/round bend bars. My favorite bars so far have been:
3t rotundo- drop 139mm/ reach 83mm, alloy & carbon
Zipp sc SL88- drop 130mm/ reach 88mm, alloy
ritchey neoclassic- drop 128mm/ reach 73mm, alloy

Unfortunately the rotundo is the only one available in carbon. It seems like the classic bend is a dying breed, a pity for sure.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



KWalker
Posts: 5722
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:30 pm
Location: Bay Area

by KWalker

The SL-88 was available as the vuka sprint and SLC2, but are no longer produced. The vuka is not DA9000 compatible.
Don't take me too seriously. The only person that doesn't hate Froome.
Gramz
Failed Custom Bike

Herb5998
Posts: 327
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:24 am

by Herb5998

I've got a 3T Rotundo on one of my bikes and Zipp SLC2 Traditional on another.

I've only had the Zipps a few months, they feel good, but right now I prefer the shape on the 3T, it just seems to be more "traditional"' and the drop size is better for my hands. Either way, both good bars in Stiffness and comfort

User avatar
lasrever
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:47 pm

by lasrever

thank you all.
yeah, the landscape for 'traditional' bend bars is getting bleak.

i got to put hands on a zipp bar after work yesterday and it's really close to the fizik, good but not perfect - hoping to find some 3ttt bars to grab over the weekend, have high hopes for them.

then the problem becomes not the bars but finding a 130 arx ltd stem - they seem to be an extremely rare bird.
thanks,
nick

virenque
Posts: 274
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:08 am

by virenque

Dedaelementi is still making them, they just renemed them from Newton to Zero100.

Shallow bend
Image

Deep bend
Image

User avatar
lasrever
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:47 pm

by lasrever

virenque wrote:Dedaelementi is still making them, they just renemed them from Newton to Zero100



OOOOoooo....

thanks!
thanks,
nick

jt2gt
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 8:29 pm

by jt2gt

Actually my fav. carbon traditional bend bar is the specialized s-works...but hard to find at a decent price.

Donkey

by Donkey

Newtons still seem popular. They are stiff enough, not the stiffest but I've personally come to appreciate it because a bar with some give is less fatigue inducing. If you want stiffest, look for FSA Energy Traditional. Very high S/W ratio.

In my view the Newtons had their day because the top end to the drops is less sharply curved than any given modern bar that the bar feels a little awkward (maybe uncomfortable) at the extreme ends of the tops.
Most modern bars are sharply turned towards the ends of the tops which results in wider clearance at the tops.

ZIPP Service Course and SL in TB are very nice bars. TB yet still very modern features such as compactness and an open feel. Not as stiff as FSA Energy but slightly stiffer than Newtons.

There is alot more feedback I can give if you wish to know more in detail.

I don't believe there's any solid reason to give up the Newtons for any other alloy bar. Great bar. Carbon well, 50/50.

User avatar
lasrever
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:47 pm

by lasrever

jt2gt wrote:Actually my fav. carbon traditional bend bar is the specialized s-works...but hard to find at a decent price.


didn't even know specialized made a classic bend.
that's good to know - even at full price they're cheaper than 3ttt and zipp.
thanks,
nick

User avatar
lasrever
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:47 pm

by lasrever

Donkey wrote:In my view the Newtons had their day because the top end to the drops is less sharply curved than any given modern bar that the bar feels a little awkward (maybe uncomfortable) at the extreme ends of the tops.
Most modern bars are sharply turned towards the ends of the tops which results in wider clearance at the tops.

ZIPP Service Course and SL in TB are very nice bars. TB yet still very modern features such as compactness and an open feel. Not as stiff as FSA Energy but slightly stiffer than Newtons.

There is alot more feedback I can give if you wish to know more in detail.

I don't believe there's any solid reason to give up the Newtons for any other alloy bar. Great bar. Carbon well, 50/50.


i love the newtons and it's not because of any stiffness it's about how they feel in the hand - that's my biggest gripe with the fizik bars - i love the weight, like how carbon is less buzzy in the hand, really enjoy how they barely reduce from the 31.8 center to the actual bar but what i don't like is the curve profile.

after the fizik bar my newtons feel great in terms of bends but feel really skinny, almost toy like.

i want to switch to carbon for 20% weight 50% dampening 30% because.

looking at the specialized, at least in pictures they seem to reduce diameter the same as the newton - the 3ttt less so.
any other thoughts/feedback would be greatly appreciated!
thanks,
nick

Donkey

by Donkey

Wrap the bar twice or thrice with tape. It'll make the bar feel less skinny.
I tend to wrap new tape over old tape.

I concur that how a bar feels in the hands trumps over all else.

KWalker
Posts: 5722
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:30 pm
Location: Bay Area

by KWalker

Donkey wrote:Newtons still seem popular. They are stiff enough, not the stiffest but I've personally come to appreciate it because a bar with some give is less fatigue inducing. If you want stiffest, look for FSA Energy Traditional. Very high S/W ratio.

In my view the Newtons had their day because the top end to the drops is less sharply curved than any given modern bar that the bar feels a little awkward (maybe uncomfortable) at the extreme ends of the tops.
Most modern bars are sharply turned towards the ends of the tops which results in wider clearance at the tops.

ZIPP Service Course and SL in TB are very nice bars. TB yet still very modern features such as compactness and an open feel. Not as stiff as FSA Energy but slightly stiffer than Newtons.

There is alot more feedback I can give if you wish to know more in detail.

I don't believe there's any solid reason to give up the Newtons for any other alloy bar. Great bar. Carbon well, 50/50.


Post some deflection numbers to back up your claims.

The Zipps are not compact. Shallow(er) drop than some traditional bars, but at 88mm reach and a measured 130mm drop they are anything but compact.

I've had Rotundos, Zipps, Dedas, TKOs, NeoClassics, and the Specialized bars. I rode the Rotundos for a long time and loved them and have been on the Zipps for a while and they seem great as well. Dedas had a weird ramp to the hood, TKO drops were uncomfortable in my hand, and the NeoClassics didn't have enough ramp to the hood. I have yet to try the FSAs as they have a bit too much reach and drop for what I need.
Don't take me too seriously. The only person that doesn't hate Froome.
Gramz
Failed Custom Bike

User avatar
de zwarten
Posts: 896
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:32 pm
Location: belgium

by de zwarten

Try the pro PLT round bars. about same drop as Deda, but about 5-6mm more reach. Better ramp to the hood than deda's for me.
I have deda's in Newton and non-OS 250. Wrapping 3mm Fizik tape does a good job in getting comfort.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Wingnut
Posts: 2196
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

The best traditional bars used to be Cinelli 66-44 but alas they are no longer made or updated for oversize stem clamps...I migrated to Deda Newton deep drop and have used them ever since...

Post Reply